Improvement in book-supports



trdtr giatra @nicht (itllllre.

MCGAUSLAND, 0F PROVIDENCE, lRHODE ISLAND.

Letters Patent No. 111,858, dated February 14, 187i.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOIQ'SUPPORTS.A

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom, it may concerne Beit known that we, JOHN MoOAUsLANn, ALEX- ANDER MonusnannandWILLIAM J. A. McGnos# LAND, ofthe city and countyrof Providence, in the State .of Rhode Island, have invented a lnew and useful adjnstable Book and Newspaper Holder,'capable of being readily attached to a chair, table, or other similar article of furniture, andi-as easily removed when not desired for use; 4and we do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawing furnished and forming a part of the same, is a true, clear, and; exact description thereof.

Figure l represents, inperspective, a chair having oney of our holders attached thereto.

Figure'` 2 represents, on a larger scale, the bookrack, and the mechanism which holds the covers and leaves ot a book inposition, and also newspaper and manuscript-,holders attached thereto.

Figure -3 represents therear of the book-rack, showing the means of rotary and angular adjustment.

Figure 4 represents' the clamping device on alarger scale than in tig. 1.

Figure 'represent's a clamping. device for permanent attachment 'to a tableA or chair.

The same letters4v of reference are used in all the iigures. l

vA and A are jaws of a screw-clamp. The lower jaw A is xed, while the upper jaw A isv movable vertically. Both are clothed with rubber to secure a fixed connection, as Well as to prevent scratchiug-or other injury to the artieleto which it may be attached.

B is a hollow screw. To its lower end is firmly at.- taohed the jaw A', the upper jaw' A being loosely fitted thereto.

G is a wheel-nut, tapped to correspond with the threads of the screw B. By turning the nut O downward on the screw the jaws A are brought into proper relation to eachother and closely hold upon any object interposed between them.

D is a standard, fitted to enter the interior. ot the "screw B, and may be secured in any desired position,

vertically speaking, by the set or thumb-screw a.

This standard isY bent' horizontally, at .nearly right angles, forming an elbow at point marked b, and then, again, vertically, at right angles to this latter portion, at point c.

E is a swiveled' block, vertically mounted upon the.

upper end of the standard D, which is-'capable of being revolved thereon on a plane at right angles thereto.

l -is the book-rack. vIt ismountedv on a rod, c, havingcnrved ends f.` Thisrod passes horizontally through the block E. urack may also be turned to any desired angle between lt'is adjustable longitudinally, and the until the connection is secure.

seatlradjusts the rack to a proper height by the thurnba horizontal and a vertioalposition, and held inplaee by lthe set or thumb-screw g.V l

G is the apparatus fory holdingthe book open. It

Aconsist-s oftwo pivoted lingers, h. h', and two spring mounted in two bearings and provided with a thumbpiece, s, which, uponbeing detlected, raises the spring fingers by contact with the under side of' 'said lingers of the curvedends of ,the bar K.

H and H are the newspaper and maunsoript-holdl ers. They are pivoted at their lower ends to the back of the book-rack, andmay be turned down out of the way when not in use. 1

The holding device consists ot' a straight springy pieceot' metal so turned at its ends that it forms a j pair of spring' jaws, a u. Y i

I is a writing-table, attached to an arm, o', connected to the standard D, and is vertically adjustable thereon, and held iu place by thethunlb-screw p.

In iig. 5 we show a form of clamp suitable for permanent attachment to a chair or desk.

M is a holding-plate, to be screwed upon the under side of a chair. Itis provided with an angular groove,

lm, with beveled edges.

N is a dovetailed block, which is fitted tothe groove4 entering in the direction of the arrow.

A projecting ear, fa, is provided with an aperture for-receiving astandard, whiehvis lheld in position by al thumb-screw, o,

It will be observed that the book-rack is vertically, angularly, longitudinally adjustable, and also adjustable laterally with relation tothe person using it.

The operation of the holder may be described as follows: 4

The jawsl A, being opened, are-placed'in relation to a chair-seat as shown, and the nut C turned down The reader taking his screw a. Simultaneously he will adjust the same to a proper distance i'romhis eye by turning the armof the standard from or toward him. Then, he may fix the book in position, holding the covers by the ngers h and It', and the book open at the desired place by the spring lingers t and if. Then adjust the book-rack at any desired angle and x it in position by the thumb-v screw g.

t desired, as is the case sometimes, to get a betterlight by moving the book-rack horizontally, it can readilybe done after loosening the thumb-screw' g.

We are aware that book-holders or racks and musi@ to assume any desired position.

stands have been heretofore made with great variety of construction, but we know of-none involving such complete adaptability 'as onr improved'holder, which,

while desirable for the use of all, isespecially valnable for the use of invalids.

With persons -in the habit of enlivening the home Y circle by reading aloud our' holder will prove of great value, for during the reading the chest may be thrown forward and respiration aided, while the-hands? are free For newspaper or sheet-manuscript reading' the spring clamps H and H' are to be turned on their Vpivots so as to extend upward from the rack, vand the paper vslipped into the jaws of the clamps.,

For taking notes while reading, the writing-table I,

adjustable vertically on the Astandard D, afordsamplev facilities-.,- When this latter is used, the* arm r, being attached to thestandard by its thumb-screw, will sustain the standard in the clamp Iwithout the use of the thumb-screw a.'

- Having thusdescribedour invention,

We claim as new and desire to secure `by Letters Patent- 1. The book-raok-F, cover-fingers h h', and spring fingers q', i', the latteroperated by the thnmb-piece's, `all constructed and operating as described.

holder, and table I, the latter being monntednpon the ment thereon, as and for the purposes specified.

. 3. In combination with an adjustable book-holder, the newspaper or manuscript-clamps H H', as and for thepnrposes speoied. v

JOHN MCGAUSLAND.

J. A. MCOAUSLAND.

Witnesses:

HENRY MARTIN, JOHN O. PURKJS.

2. The hollow sereW-olamp, elbowed standard, book#v standard and capable of a rotary and verticall adj nst- *Y ALEXANDER Mco'AUsLAND. 

